Darien High School student disappointed in editorial

To the Editor:As a junior at Darien High School, I am very interested in local politics. Needless to say, I was disappointed to read last week’s editorial. I have done some research and challenge the editor’s claim that Darien’s Democratic representatives do not have this town’s interests at heart. Senator Duff has joined with special education advocates and parents to fight several proposed bills that could impede the ability of schools to allocate resources for children with special needs. Being a student at DHS, I am fully aware that there are special needs children at our school. This action, therefore, benefits the families of these children in our town. On Jan. 20, Senators Leone and Duff announced a $500,000 grant for a new Darien bioscience company. Such an action not only increases the innovative spirit in our town; it has the potential to bring additional job opportunities. Given their strong public record, I am certain that they continue to carry this town’s interests to heart when dealing with the state’s budget issues. Hence, their “silence” is not complacency.A further complaint you stated was the inaccessibility of our Democratic representatives. The editorial first cited their blocking of certain Darien residents from their Facebook pages due to their criticism. Although freedom of speech is a treasured right in our country, I believe that a distinction must be made between blatant personal attacks and constructive criticism. Having personally known these politicians you speak of, I am sure they would be more than happy to listen to constructive criticism; however, in the event that criticism is simply a rash attack on their person, I am of the opinion that they have a right to block an individual from their Facebook page.I can understand your complaints about the increasing burden placed onto Darien through the recent budget revisions. However, as residents of relatively wealthy town, we need to recognize that we are a part of the larger state of Connecticut: the misfortunes of surrounding towns will inevitably negatively impact Darien.